#also i hate that they shoved the diary in the corner like the motivation to decorate it was that it was right there to look at

[sstarlostt]

um just played the new rhythm hive update and saw lesserafilm so i choose kazuha because i was like "oh cool they are here" and didnt fucking realize till it was too late that now im stuck with kazuha as my wallpaper no matter what group im play,,, i was under the impression that rhythm hive always seperates groups thats why i didnt even think of the possibility of being stuck with a group when playing other groups,,, now im jun-less and so very upset, not to mention that i share the account with my sister and shes distraught that its not v,,,, the new gameplay is even worse than before i fucking hate this game, go back to how it was or at least just separate the groups again, i can deal with bad gameplay if my background is jun (or v)

[facelessfrey]

Roswell New Mexico Season 2, Episode 6

- Okay...so I have now actually watched it...well mostly. There were some parts of my stream where the sound wasn’t synched. Unfortunately not that scene. Haha. 

- Let’s start with the positives...

- I actually think that overall it was kind of a fun episode. I liked the Isobel and Kyle stuff and I actually liked the Echo stuff even though I was less than thrilled about Max coming back and the Alex/Maria/Boot guy stuff wasn’t too terrible. And there was some good sibling scenes. So like...not bad. 

- I did think the whole beginning with Max and Isobel and Michael was super weird and was over WAAAY too quickly but hey I guess they had to get to a threesome there and so they had to cut corners on something....That said, angry, dark I’ve got death energy to expel Max is really not my favorite Max, so I guess it’s fine it was over quick but still...strange to build that up and then have it be over and done with in the first like three minutes. But okay...moving on. 

- The Max/Liz strand of the episode was actually super cute and actually made me ship them again so that was nice. My sound was messed up during the whole milkshake speech so that was sad but it was working again by the morning love confession, so cool. Max’s super stiff leather, looked like it had never been worn, jacket though...not a fan. That was horrible and I was happy every time he took it off. 

- The Isobel/Kyle stuff was fun. They do look good with sparkles, I agree. I mean it was pretty random and doesn’t totally make sense but I’m not mad at it. Who knows if it will lead anywhere. I do like the chemistry between Isobel and Kyle though, friend chemistry or otherwise. Kyle has chemistry with everyone though. 

- Except maybe Steph who is still so boring to me but...and my stream was off again, was that her on the operating table in that montage at the end? 

- The main thing I took from the Alex/Maria story was that it gave us confirmation that Alex does in fact know the full story about Rosa so...uh...thanks for finally putting that in there. Might have been nice to have a clue before that. 

- Also...I rolled my eyes sooo hard at the Vampire Diaries joke but also it made me really nostalgic for TVD, because while also trash, it was better trash. Just saying. Also...it would have been a Gilbert ring, Alex and would have prevented him from dying if killed by something supernatural. Get your references right! Haha. 

- I do think the whole boot maker lead was super random and didn’t really lead to much and I still think these stories need more urgency and stakes.

- Also weird that the Cam story was once again on the back burner not that I don’t sort of get it because they have too much going on.

- AND I was sad that Rosa was not in this episode. I want to see her exploding lightbulbs as she has feelings.

- Oh and baby Max at the end...ummm...okay? I guess I want to know more about that. Mostly, I want to understand the all white fashion trend. 

- Now...getting into the ranting part...

- I do have to say that it is important to actually watch stuff because how things are said matters. Because I read some of the dialogue earlier and I was like “What?!?!?!” and then it wasn’t that at all. So that made it all slightly better. Mostly the conversation Maria and Alex had in the car. 

- The threesome thing was still SUPER weird and really unnecessary?!?!? I just don’t really get the point of it. I guess the narrative purpose was to push Alex toward Forrest and cement Michael and Maria but like...was that needed? No. I’m pretty sure Alex could have actually left when they kissed and it would have served exactly the same purpose. And would have been way less horrific.

- I mean, this is the kind of thing I can usually just roll my eyes at and move on if I’m less invested. And I’m not as invested as I have been in other things so like...I’m fine. And trust me, I’ve been there before, so I get it for people who feel devastated and done with everything. I really do. 

- But I am invested enough that I’m just kind of baffled that this was a choice that the show/Carina made. Because it really does just undermine all three characters. And to be honest, this whole love triangle had been undermining all three characters from the start. So I guess it’s par for the course but this just made it worse. I agree with Evil Twin Jon Gilbert that “I hate love triangles” but especially this one. 

- I mean, Maria has been a weird spare part on this show from the start. It’s always been a problem. In relation to the original show character, they gave her friendship with Liz to Kyle/Rosa. They gave her alien mystery solving side to Kyle. And they largely gave her romance with Michael to Alex. And you could say she has a story of her own with her mother, but that’s really kind of Mimi’s story. Maria is just sort of facilitating it. It just feels very unfortunate because OG Maria was great. And this Maria could have been great too but they just took so much away from her. And so much of what she does get happens off screen. And so they tried to give some of it back. They stuck her in this dumb love triangle, which up until now has always just seemed like a roadblock for Malex and probably still is although it’s more complicated now I guess. And if she’s just a roadblock for Malex then that’s just shitty for her character and she should have something that’s hers and not just ultimately be in the way of another ship. And also every turn of it just kind of makes her look selfish and terrible. I mean, I don’t understand her motivations for the threesome at all. Other than that I’ve heard that it was some kind of weird manipulation of the situation to force Michael to choose which is...gross. She just doesn’t come out of it well and that’s sad. 

- And for Michael, it’s absolutely perpetuating bad bisexual stereotypes. As frustrating as the love triangle was, he was technically always broken up with Alex and for valid emotional reasons. So as annoying as it was and as lazy as it was, it was fine. But this is literally like “Okay here’s both of them at the same time cause you can’t choose”. It just doesn’t look good. Especially if it was supposed to be some kind of test. 

- And for Alex...to have him say earlier that being with a woman was him trying to disappear and then have him take part in this is just bizarre. I mean yes, they also had him say that kissing Maria was the first time he enjoyed touching someone which...um...okay...weird. Also feels like they shoved that in just to facilitate this later which is also kind of gross. It’s also just weird to have a very vocally self proclaimed gay man, sleep with a woman for whatever reason. Like...why? 

- And why do Malex need to break up in every episode? Everyone gets it. Couldn’t they at some point just be like “wow we really need to take some time apart and see other people and experience other relationships and work on just getting to know each other as friends and if we end up together then it was meant to be” and then they just go date Maria and Forrest and those can be legit relationships and then they can come back together later after suitable build up. 

- Of course that’s fine for Forrest because he’s a random side character but then it feels insulting to Maria because it’s clear she’s just an obstacle, which is why I hate that she’s a part of this dumb love triangle in the first place. 

- I also just hate the love triangle period with Malex because it just wasn’t needed. There’s so much potential there and so many layers of angst without adding in a main character as a third party. They could still both date other people and come back together without dragging Maria into it all. I feel like Carina just wanted to do this new thing with Malex because she didn’t want her Michael and Maria to have to compete with the OG M&M and then was like “oh no wait I can still do it but in this different super awesome way because epic love triangles are awesome and on all my favorite teen shows of the past” Except that this isn’t a teen show and that should be part of the point. 

- I just don’t get any of it and think it was mostly a bad idea. Well, the threesome definitely was. 

- I mean...it’s not enough to make me stop watching the show but I definitely am further disconnecting with that set of characters until they sort this nonsense out and decide where they’re going with it because right now they’re just making me not care because it doesn’t feel like they care about their own characters. 

[lovinnscarletknight]

Billionaire - Part Four

OK, I’m literally two weeks late posting this and Part Five will be going up as soon as I’ve put this part up. Sorry, I’ve just had no motivation but all is good I brought myself to do it and I’m excited for you all to read it! Also I’ll leave my master list here to find all my work and the previous parts of this story. 

As always tag list is open, just drop me a line :) 

Without further ado, Part Four! 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the first time in weeks Katherine wore her blue jeans with a whole in one knee, a cropped long sleeve shirt and a denim jacket. She was comfy and ready to back to school, walking was a lot easier as the teenager has been doing physio since she came home last Thursday. Her Dad was very against her going back to school, but Lauren was picking her up since Liz and Holly are neighbours and their parents car share. Katherine got the message she was here and grabbed the shoulder bag, but a shock passed through her slim arm making her flinch. She tried again but her hand passed an electric shock slightly burning the strap. Quickly shaking her hands and blinking, she grabbed he bag and slung it over her shoulder and adjusting her braced wrist. The phone pinged saying Lauren was waiting outside and she got mad de ja vu from the last time she left the tower. Katherine shook it off and left the room slipping a trainer on her good foot, she saw her father scribbling something down on a notepad as he sipped his coffee. It seemed very quiet for a place full of people.

“Hey Dad, I’m heading to school” Katherine spoke with a smile standing in the doorway and his eyes met the young girls forming a smile on his face. Tony was glad that she was happy to be home and, even better, that she was going ahead with her physiotherapy. It reminded him of the times his wife had to have physio, chemotherapy for her cancer, it made his smile falter but not enough for his daughter to notice.

“Ok sweetheart, do you need dropping off? Who’s taking you? Do you need picking up?” He questioned suddenly becoming more involved.

“No, it’s ok, Lauren is taking me and it’s Clint’s turn to pick me up anyway” She told him, but he didn’t say a word, “Dad? Where is everyone?” She asked grabbing the money from her lunch pot and stuffed it in the bag.

“They were called out on a mission, they’ll be back this afternoon, Clint went home to his family. I can have Happy pick you up?” He suggests putting his mug in the sink. Katherine frowned slightly at the idea of Happy picking her up instead of her father however she quickly recovered.

“It’s ok, I’ll walk” She told him walking away and pressed the elevator button.

“You can’t walk home in your condition” Her dad started but she shook her head.

“I’ll be fine Dad, I’ll see you later” She stepped in before he could say anything else the door closed, and Katherine was heading for Lauren’s car.

School was crowded as always and yet the girl still managed to get knocked all over the place no matter how careful she was. Her first lesson of the day was Chemistry and she honestly hated it, everyone was surprised she even got into Midtown because she did not have Tony’s brains.

The bell went as she grabbed the books from the locker and waited for the halls to clear slightly before heading for the lab; she was sure the teacher would understand due to her condition. She got to the corridor and was a couple of minutes after the second bell making her late. Sighing to herself as she looked through the small glass window to see Mrs. Scott already teaching. Pushing the door handle down the whole class went quiet and all eyes were on her along with her boot, brace and abnormal posture.

“Welcome back Ms. Stark take your seat, we’re on page one-hundred and fifteen” The lady smiled warmly at Katherine and saw that she was no longer sat next to Holly but next to Peter Parker, one of the smartest boys in her class. The class carried on as she made her way to the bench and placed her books down on the bench before I sat down. Seeing the struggle Katherine was having, the boy pulled out my stool for her helping her sit down.

“Thanks” She whispered, “I’m Kath” She told him as she opened the book.

“I-I-I’m, I’m Peter” He said smiling, his gorgeous eyes sparkling as he mentally slapped himself his embarrassing introduction. Peter Parker was a quiet boy who mostly kept to himself and his only friend was Ned Leeds, they were both known as the nerds of the school. It was clear to Peter that Katherine did not remember him at all even though they used to always play together as children and had been in the same classes every year at school. He had a crush on Katherine Stark since he could remember but as soon as they hit high school, she hit puberty and became breathtakingly beautiful and her comic books and sweatpants were quickly forgotten and replaced by new friends, popularity and fashion. Chemistry dragged on for a while before the bell rang and they could pack up their bags. She saw Peter packing up his bags when Harry approached her.

“Nice to see back Katherine” He said, and the girl rolled her eyes. Since the beginning of school, he wouldn’t leave her alone and it does her head in; it had been so peaceful not seeing him.

“My name is Kath” She grumbled standing from the stool but wavering on the spot. She tried to balance herself, but someone grabbed her arm helping her balance, she turned seeing the Parker boy and smiled.

“Thanks, see you around” Katherine said slinging the bag over her shoulder and walking out the classroom. Heading for the cafeteria she saw Liz and her friends waiting with a cake and a banner saying welcome back. She smiled widely and laughed because when they spotted her, they cheered; honestly it wasn’t the most attractive walk of fame with the constant thump of the boot and the hobble, everyone clapped, and Katherine shyly bowed. That’s what happened when you were on of the four most popular girls in school and it was ridiculous. They all stood wrapping their arms around Katherine, laughing because she was shorter than all of them.

“How’s it going? I thought you were supposed to be using crutches Katherine!” She rose her eyebrows at Liz, and she laughed knowing that the girl hated being called Katherine.

“I’m perfectly fine without them thank you very much. I don’t remember much about my mom, but my dad says she hates when cake is left, so let’s eat this delicious looking cake!” Katherine only said this to get the attention off her. They all went quiet at the mention of her mother, but Katherine quickly shrugged it off by grabbing the knife off Holly’s plate and cutting herself a slice, “To us!” she cheered, and they were soon laughing along with her.

The rest of the day dragged until Katherine’s teacher let her leave early to get all her stuff to go home. She was honestly exhausted and regretted telling her dad she could walk home because her leg ached, her torso ached, everything ached. Sighing heavily, she started her long walk home when before she could leave, was knocked to the ground. Katherine’s butt hitting the floor caused the most excruciating pain through her body and she yelped when she processed the pain, she watched the jocks in the year above laughing, something they did often to the four girls because they thought it would get them attention. Olivia looked down at her burning hands to see tiny electricity lines forming on the bottoms of her palms going towards her wrists. The girl went to poke the new scars but jumped when she heard someone behind her.

“Need a hand?” Katherine immediately recognised the voice as Peter’s and thanked the lord it wasn’t any of her friends or anyone in the group; then again, she was very embarrassed and felt her face turning red, she stuck her hand out and he lifted her up. Peter saw her green eyes full of pain and her hair messily piled on her head and yet she still managed to look beautiful.

“Thank you, people are so inconsiderate. You’d think if they saw a cripple, they’d be more careful” She replied dusting off her backside and peering around the corner to see Happy waiting in a suit next to a one of her father’s cars, cursing under her breath “I told him not to do this. My dad sent a driver to pick me up, but I’d much rather walk” She explained to the boy. She puffed out her cheeks and took a step forward, but he grabbed her arm, he tends to do that.

“I could get you out of school, I mean I know another way out where he won’t see you” He suggested, and Katherine smiled.

“Lead the way” He laughed before shoving his hands in his pockets and taking her down another corridor.

***

“Katherine, I specifically sent Happy to get you because you were in no fit state to walk all that way!” Tony exclaimed as she sat her foot elevated on her bed and she was eating some ice cream, “Look how swollen it is! You are supposed to be recovering not getting worse!” Katherine rolled her sparkling eyes and placed the barely dented tub on her bedside table. An image of Katherine’s mother popped into his head when she fell down the stairs and twisted her ankle, he was glad she got her mother’s eyes.

“I’m sorry ok? I just wanted to clear my head and besides, it’s not like I walked alone, Peter helped me out” She shrugged continuing to watch Vampire Diaries. Out the corner of her eye she saw Tony do a double take and turn back around.

“Peter? A boy helped you out? What about Liz? I thought you were attached at the hip?” She was about to fight back when JARVIS started speaking.

“Captain Rogers, Ms. Maximoff, Ms. Romanoff and Mr Wilson are on about to pull into the bay” My father pointed at me, “We’ll finish this later” The teenager sent him a thumb up before she continued watching the drama unfold on the screen. The bed next to her sunk slightly as Wanda sat next to her.

“Hey, I missed you” Katherine told her friend. Ever since Wanda moved in, Katherine’s life had got a lot better. Wanda became one of her closest friends and they both enjoyed watching films and training together, however training would have to be put off for a while. The girls sat in silence for a while before Katherine turned to Wanda and saw dark bags under her eyes and them full of sadness and pain, “What’s wrong?” Wanda shook her head and wrapped her arms around the teenage girl and quietly cried into her shoulder.

Katherine quickly sat up straighter and wrapped her arms around her friend. From her place, Katherine could see Steve stood in the doorway, a sad expression on his face and he slowly walked away as she soothed her friend. And suddenly the moment was ruined when a shock swarmed through Katherine’s fingertips straight into Wanda making her pull away, brows furrowed. Katherine watched the bolts grow on her wrist and the first thing Wanda did was grab her hands and watch the lines grow. Katherine’s eyes held tears as they met Wanda’s confused ones, “I don’t know what is happening to me” She whispered tears escaping her glassy eyes. Wanda flicked her wrist closing the bedroom door and then grabbed Katherine’s shoulders.

“When did this start?” She asked standing from her place, “Was it after the accident?”

“It was injected into me, I don’t know what it is. I burnt my school bag this morning and I’m freaking out Wanda,” Pulling her sleeves up she showed the small indents, “They grow, and it hurts and what if they don’t stop” Katherine rambled on, locks of her dark hair falling from the bun on her head. Wanda didn’t know what to do to help her friend. Maybe she could teach her to control it like she has control of her powers and it was clear that Katherine was panicking about the situation. One thing Wanda knew is she had to get more people in on this because Katherine could be a potential danger to herself and possibly everyone she loved.

TAGS - 

@supernaturallover2002 @racewife2004 @editsbyjenny @savedbystark

@seriouslyobsessed @queendarktigress

[imgonnabeyourbubblegumwitch]

I Love You, You Pay My Rent: Chapter One

Previous Chapter (Prologue) 

Nico had been officially living with Will Solace, professional rich person and minor celebrity for a grand total of one and a half days. It had, so far and against all expectations, been uneventful. Will hadn't actually been around all that much, though what he during the day Nico wasn't sure because he was pretty convinced Will didn't have an actual, proper job. The only evidence Nico was sharing a very nice apartment with another human being was the leftover pizza that had appeared in the fridge, an empty bottle of vodka that had appeared in the recycling and a memorable 5am rendition of the circle of life followed by a long period of rapping and Will shouting Alexander Hamilton over and over again. Nico hadn't known if Will were coming or going, waking up to go out, or drunk and coming in, and by the time he himself had gotten up several hours later at a far more sociable time Will was nowhere to be found.

Nico heated up the pizza, and tossed the note inviting him to help himself in the trash. He wandered around the apartment as he ate, picking pineapple off his slices as he went. He still couldn't believe he had ended up here, rent free. He was still slightly suspicious about Will's motives. No one let a stranger stay with them rent free. No one. Maybe there was some kind of bet involved. Or maybe Will was running some kind of scam, or was avoiding taxes.

Still even though he might be an unwitting accomplice to a crime, Nico had to admit the benefits of living with Will, for the moment, outweighed the projected cost of a lengthy court case and some time behind bars for misconduct unknown.

It was weird, though, having so much space and time to himself. Nico didn't usually crave human interaction, in fact he usually attempted to keep it at bay with a long stick, dark clothes and a bite-me attitude, but it was odd being on his own. Living with Leo had been living with constant noise. Leo just did not have an off-switch and so Nico had been constantly working to tune out an endless feed of useless chatter. And even in those rare moments when Leo wasn't talking, he was usually hammering at something that didn't look like it should be hammered. That or taking part in dubious DIY tasks that either worked against all odds, or failed spectacularly and required a visit from one of Leo's many and undefined relatives who between them seemed to fulfil the complete home construction spectrum.

Life for Will, aside from the 5am shower concert thing, was apparently going to be quiet.

In an attempt to be a decent housemate Nico washed up the plate he'd used as a morgue for the rejected pineapple and only used two exclamation marks on the note he left for Will on the fridge questioning the inclusion of the topping on pizza. Then he wandered around the living room for the sheer novelty of having enough space to be able to wander around the living room. It had been a long time since he'd been in an apartment this fancy, back before Leo when he'd lived with his father, or more accurately a series of housekeepers and au pairs while his father worked. They hadn't really been home, those apartments, any more than the family mansion they drove to every Christmas. With his father Nico would never have dared wake up at two-thirty in the afternoon, to wander around eating pizza, not even in the school holidays. His father had instilled in him, that there was always work to be done, and more importantly there was always someone watching. He should conduct himself with decorum.

He suddenly felt very self-conscious. He wasn't sure when Will would be coming back and even though Will had insisted he make himself at home, Nico felt strange being in the clothes he'd worn yesterday to move in in. He'd slept in them, curled up on the bare mattress, because he couldn't be bothered to search through his meagre possessions for his pyjamas and sheets. But he didn't want Will to get the impression that he was a slob, however accurate that impression might actually be so he retreated back to his room, not quite running but definitely moving at something quicker than a walk.

The boxes and bags he'd brought with him from his old apartment were stacked in a corner of the room that was now his. He really didn't have much. One bag of laundry he hadn't had time to do before leaving Leo's. A small box of assorted nick nacks, toys and other items he didn't really know what to do with: his mythomagic cards banded together with a corroding rubber band, an old notebook he'd used as a diary for a couple of weeks before he'd gotten bored with the idea of writing every day, other junk. Then lastly there was a black duffle bag which had his clean clo-

He withdrew a bright top he'd never wear, followed by a strange hat and what looked like part of an engine.  These weren’t his clothes. This was Leo's bag. Which meant Leo had his clothes, Leo who was now probably half way across the country had his clothes. And Nico had a jacket, the outfit he was wearing and a three quarters full bag of laundry. He didn't even have his bed sheets: he'd shoved them in the bag along with his clothes.

Okay, he thought, it's fine. There was the laundry, he'd just have to do that. That would give him one work outfit, a pair of jeans that had seen better days and a couple of tops. Then there were the clothes he was in. He could wash those too. And, in the meantime, he'd just have to wear -

He looked back at Leo's bag with growing horror. He tipped it all out on his floor and there was a worrying clanking sound. He sorted through all the stuff, moving mechanical devices, screwdrivers and a chocolate bar over to the sell-for-scrap pile (and if Leo was upset about that he should have thought about it before making off with Nico's stuff). That left him with a handful of crumpled t-shirts that were small even for him, and a pair of shorts that were faded, stained and so threadbare it was hard to tell if Leo wore them or used them for cleaning.

It wasn't a great selection but he pulled on one of the bigger t-shirts, and the shorts. The t-shirt was bright yellow with a sunny, tropical picture of a parrot and some fruit. It ended too quickly and was far too tight. The shorts were little better: too low and, since the elastic had gone, worryingly loose around his hips. Now he really prayed that wherever Will was he was planning on staying there a long time.

He scooped up his own clothes and hurried to the washer. He dumped the lot in the machine and scouted around for washing powder. He closed the lid and then had to come to terms with the fact he had absolutely no idea how the washing machine worked. He stared at the control panel for a full minute trying to decipher symbols and pictograms that littered a control panel that looked like it should be controlling the enterprise rather than just washing your clothes. He stabbed a few buttons at random, and hoping he hadn't accidentally summoned a demon, ran back to his room like a skittish rabbit lest Will enter and see his bright yellow t-shirt and shorts of shame.

The washing machine was making comforting washing sounds that Nico could hear even from his room so he let it get on with it and focused on the other box he'd brought with him. Some of the items, like the mythomagic cards or his older sister’s teddy bear, he knew he'd never be able to part with but most of it was trash. Broken toys and memories had been heaped on the pile of useless junk from Leo's bag (he'd claimed the chocolate bar as his own). He was reading through his diary with the self-aware pain that came from reading the things his younger self had found angst-worthy (if only he'd known) when he first noticed that Will's nice wooden floor suddenly felt kind of wet.

Nico swore resolutely and scrambled to his feet. The washing machine was still rumbling happily but was now disgorging oddly tinted water on the floor in torrents. A panicked ten seconds of button mashing yielded no immediate halt to its attempt to flood the place so Nico decided to end it at the source and seek out it's kill switch. That proved to be harder than he'd imagined. He just couldn't find the lead and was beginning to think he'd discovered the world's first washing machine that could run on pure spite alone.

He slapped it since he had the impression this usually worked with computers but that only left him with a sore hand. Grumbling furiously, he ran into his bathroom, discovered he had also managed to forget towels were a necessity, backtracked to Will's. Towels in hand he began trying to limit the progress of the flood with an improvised wall, so that he would be less worried about the concerningly purple water damaging anything expensive, or creating an interesting reaction with anything electronic in the living room before he could subdue the poltergeist residing in the washing machine.

Barrier temporarily holding the flood at bay, he proceeded back to the washing machine with phone in hand.

"You are making me look on forums," he told the washing machine. "I officially hate you."

In response the machine began spitting up heavily fragranced bubbles.

Nico swore again, this time with even more feeling.

Okay, forget forums, it was time to call Leo.

Leo answered on what felt like the nine-hundreth ring. At the exact same time, Nico saw his mythomagic cards floating gently past amid a happy scattering of floral scented bubbles. He vocalised his feelings about this in no uncertain terms that made Leo threaten to clean his mouth out with soap the next time they saw each other.

"You probably won't need to," Nico said darkly as he bent down to pick up one of the cards and ended up with a nose full of bubbles. "Not if this keeps up."

"You're making no sense Nico."

He lunged for another card - Hades, that had a permanent place in all his decks - and slipped. He managed to stay upright but went skidding along on his towel barrier which had pretty much reached the limits of it's effectiveness. In an effort to stop himself from faceplanting the floor and/or banging into anything that looked breakable he threw out his hands and while remembering to keep a firm grip on his childhood cards, forgot about his phone which went flying at the front door.

The front door which was open and framing a very confused Will Solace.

"Oh gods," Nico had time to say before his phone hit Will in the nose.

There was a pause while Nico tried to find the words to explain the water and the bubbles and the cards and - oh hell - his clothes. Will surveyed the chaos with an unreadable expression. And then he burst out laughing.

It was unexpected but it was better than the yelling.

"What happened?" Will asked. "Are those mythomagic cards?"

He too another, longer look at Nico taking in the outfit and Nico's unsuccessful attempts to stand in slippery socks on a sodden floor.

"I like the t-shirt," he commented. "Very subversive. I can see you are really trying to mock -"

He broke off dissolving into laughter.

"I'm sorry," he said between giggles, "you - just - look- "

"Yeah, yeah," Nico grumbled. "Well the bubbles in your hair look ridiculous."

Will put a hand up to his head and as he did Nico threw a handful of bubbles at him. They missed, by a long way, because bubbles weren't a particularly reliable throwing material. Will laughed even harder and tried to throw some back but his aim was even poorer because he was giggling so much. Nico fell down again and he though he tried to stop himself he couldn't help but start giggling too.

Will had left the door open and an older lady with perfectly coiled hair and a fur coat was looking in at them in obvious consternation and disapproval. Nico waved and Will turned.

"Good afternoon Mrs Dodds," Will said. "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

Mrs Dodds scoffed and turned her back on them. Nico began laughing at the stupidness of the situation and his laughter set Will off again. Will looked cute when he laughed: nose (red from where the phone had struck) all scrunched up like a kid he looked less like some unattainable-rock-star-minor-god-model, and more down to earth. Nico felt his heart skip a beat and a few tentative butterflies preparing to take flight in his stomach. The feelings were oddly sobering and he felt the laughter dying in his throat.

"I really am sorry about the mess," he said. "I must be the worst housemate you've ever had."

"Oh, not by a long shot," Will said amiably. "I once had someone who collected dead frogs.”

He tried to lever himself to his feet and after several attempts managed to get to his feet and with an awkward, penguin on ice like shuffle made it to the front door which he shut very firmly.

"How about I order food, we put on some music and have a cleaning up party?" he suggested.

"You don't have to help," Nico said. "I'll do it, I did make the mess."

"I forget to warn you the washing machine can be temperamental," Will said with a shrug. "Though I've never seen it do this before. You've got some quite incredible machine-messing skills, Di Angelo."

Nico grinned. It was an automatic response to Will's light teasing that he didn't have time to think through, or dampen down.

"Gotta be good at something," Nico said. "And for me that something is riling up the demon ghost that resides in your washing machine."

"They should write a film about your exploits," Will commented, completely straight faced. "I bagsie the rights."

"Only if you promise to hire

Will ordered Chinese. He put on some music - something upbeat and poppy that Nico wouldn't usually necessarily enjoy but actually worked pretty well trying to clean up a lilac coloured flood with his new landlord.

Will brought out more towels from the bathroom and tossed some to Nico. Then he paused.

"I don't have a mop," he said as though it had only just occurred to him.

"Why don't you have a mop?" Nico asked.

"Did you have a mop at your old place?" Will demanded.

"Yes!" Nico said. "We weren't heathens! We just didn't have a hoover, or a dishcloth for a long time, or plates for the first few weeks. But a mop! Of course."

"Yeah well I'd offer you a discount on your rent for forgetting such an important life-changing item but you're not actually paying me anything so-"

"You could always start paying me to live here," Nico mused.

Will stuck his tongue out and then sighed.

"One of my neighbours probably has one."

He sloshed his way over to the door.

"Be right back. Wish me luck."

"You're asking to borrow a mop from your neighbours, how much luck can you need?"

Will pulled a face that indicated he had shocking, horrifying knowledge that no mortal should posses.

"You don't want to know," he said in a deep whisper and then darted out, closing the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, the butterflies that had been previously hesitant and timid took full flight in Nico's stomach. He realised he was smiling and wiped the expression off his face and focused very hard on extracting sodden mythomagic cards and leaving them all lined up on the counter tops to dry.

Will returned some ten minutes later with a mop and a chastised air.

"Nancy was of your view that mops are a basic human right and she could not believe I do not own one."

"See," Nico said.  “It’s not just me who thinks you are a heathen.”

Nico was not usually a fan of cleaning but working alongside Will was kind of fun. It may have had something to do with Will, who was in charge of mopping and was utterly distracting. He spent more time dancing with the mop and singing along to whatever song was playing than actually mopping. Nico could hardly drag his eyes away from him, so he pointed out, perfectly reasonably, that it was an inefficient method of mopping and that Will's music choice sucked.

"Alright what would you put on?"

Nico hadn't been expecting that.

"I don't know. The Ramones maybe?"

Will held his gaze while he retrieved his laptop and then changed the song with a slight smirk.

"What you didn't think I'd have the Ramones?"

"I thought it would be all Disney songs and show tunes."

"Disney songs and show tunes?" Will asked sounding like he was trying not to laugh.

"I don't know," Nico admitted, "I have no idea what you like."

"They come on later," Will promised him with a grin.

Ten minutes later they were both jumping up and down to Blitzkrieg Bop and Will was singing and he was actually not all that bad when it wasn't 5am. They were halfway through the second verse when someone began banging on the walls.

"Oh ignore it," Will said. "That's Octavian. He's always complaining about something. Like when I hoover at 3am."

"Why do you -?"

"Because the night before Octavian was grinding breeze blocks and some sheet metal in his blender. I assume that's what he was doing. That's what it sounded like he was doing."

The banging sounded again, on the door this time. Will rolled his eyes but he stormed over and yanked the door open, shutting down the music with a wave of a remote as his did so.

"Hello Octavian," Will said with a forced polite smile. "Is everything alright? If you've come to borrow a mop I'm afraid I'm lacking that basic necessity."

Nico laughed and Octavian cast his sharp eyes over to him. Octavian was pale and thin. His eyes were faint blue and his hair was thin, and almost colourless. The general impression he gave was of a scarecrow that had been modelled on a skeleton. All the right features were there and they were all in the right places but the proportions and the colour scheme was entirely off.

"Can you keep it down?" Octavian asked. "I'm trying to work. Not all of us get money handed to us on a silver platter you know."

Will shrugged at that, but Nico thought that something about the jibe may have hit home because he seemed a little tenser.

"So sorry to interrupt your work. I know it's all you have since you can't seem to keep friends."

"Look who's talking," Octavian sneered. "How many housemates have you gone through now? How long do you think this one will stay?"

He glanced over at Nico again, looked him up and down and then turned away without comment as though he didn't think Nico was worth it.

"We'll try to keep the sounds of us enjoying our lives from disturbing your emptiness," Will snapped and closed the door in Octavian's face. He didn't turn around immediately and Nico got the impression he was trying to force himself back towards cheerfulness.

"To be fair," Will said when he did turn. "We probably were being kind of loud."

He put the music back on but in deference to Octavian it was no longer deafening and could be classed merely as noisy. In deference to the fact that Will hadn't freaked out when he'd come home to a flood, Nico didn't bring up what Octavian had said about the other housemates. It didn't stop him wondering though. Will seemed nice enough but Nico still couldn't get past the no rent thing. It made no sense to him. He couldn't figure out why Will would be so desperate to have someone in his spare room that he'd offer it to them for free.

By the time the food came, the flat was pretty clean. Nico's jeans, now several shades lighter than their once jet black, and other clothes had been shoved in the dryer. The floor was mopped, all of Nico's cards were drying on the counter tops. Order had been restored.

Will put on a movie while they ate. Will had seen it before and Nico was more interested in watching Will out the corner of his eye so he often missed big plot points. Will seemed happy enough but Nico got the impression he was worried from the way he picked at his food rather than just eating it. In the end, Will put it to the side entirely and picked up a fortune cookie gazing at it like an unexploded bomb.

"You know they are mass printed somewhere right?" Nico asked eventually when Will still hadn't cracked it open.

Will gave a rueful smile.

"I know. It's stupid. I usually ask them not to give me fortune cookies though. I don't know what it is, they just always seem to come true."

"Well how bad can that be?" asked Nico. "It's always, you'll find happiness when you least expect it or time waits for no man. Stupid, meaningless stuff."

"I know," Will said again. "Believe me, I know."

But he didn't open the fortune.

"Here I'll do mine," said Nico.

He grabbed his off the table and opened it up.

"Okay," he said unfolding the paper. "Mine reads: help! I'm trapped in a fortune cookie factory!"

Will burst out laughing and reached for it.

"Let me see that!"

"Alright it actually says good news of a long-awaited event will soon arrive. Stupid and meaningless."

Will grinned.

“I guess you’re right.”

But he still didn’t open it, and when Nico went to clean up the food later that night he couldn’t help but notice the cookie was missing.

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